


Food

by Gepardo



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-18
Updated: 2013-07-18
Packaged: 2017-12-20 13:40:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/887921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gepardo/pseuds/Gepardo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Colonel Gold stumbles upon the usual gang talking about food.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Food

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nothingeverlost](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nothingeverlost/gifts).



> Based on Nothingeverlost M*A*S*H/OUAT crossover M*A*S*H 6828th

Colonel Gold heard laughter and good cheer behind, and for a moment wonder if corporal Hatter had once again gotten drunk enough to show up in nothing but woman’s lingerie again. Taking a deep breath to prepare himself to berate the young man, he turned away from the bar and…no, he was just in his usual blue sundress. No, the good mood was from whatever conversation Captians Nolan and Humbert had obviously started. 

Seeing Major Belle French laughing among the little group, along with young Henry,who thankfully was just having Peach Nehi soda again, and learned to put a hand over the mouth of the bottle whenever sitting by Corporal Hatter(that was a lesson everyone in camp learned quickly). Gold got up and stepped close enough to gather they were talking about food. His stomach did a slight flip.

"Oh I miss ribs, just drowned in barbecue sauce…" Nolan whined as slipped a bit further down his chair. “You could find the best ribs in this little joint in Chicago…"

"Pray tell, how are you all talking about food?" Gold interrupted any further descriptions, after 16 hours in O.R. during meatball surgery, he could barely stand the sight of anything but liquid. 

The table seemed to grew quiet for a moment, the due concentration in their faces gave away the reason quiet quickly, but Graham was the one to answer. “Cause we are drunk…"

"Point." Gold knocked back the last of his own drink and took a seat by Major French. “Continue…"

 

While Nolan missed ribs, Humbert missed rabbit stew and deer jerky, it took them a moment in their alcohol idle minds and question to realize that the captain had enjoy hunting back home. It explained a lot, specially the tracking training he had tried on Henry’s lazy dog, Whale. In all honesty, Henry had picked up more on the training then the old flea bag. Nurse Swan craved nothing more the greasiest cheeseburger while Blanchard wanted her family secret repice’s lasagna. Henry, sweet boy that he was, just missed cake, any type. 

Most of them had lulled into reminiscing about good and edible food that they had gone quiet after Henry’s confession….until Corporal Hatter opened his mouth. 

"I miss baked rattlesnake bits…" The seriousness in which it was said made the whole room go infinitely more quiet then it had been. 

French was the first to recuperate. “Please tell me that’s the name of a dish and that you don’t actually eat venomous snakes"

"I could…but I would be lying…"

Gold leaned forward. “Are you telling me you go into the desert, catch yourself a snake and then put it a god damn oven?"

"Technically you got to skin it first…..and cut it in pieces..and make the batter, but yes…" 

Henry stared wide eyed and asked at the same time as Humbert, who was speaking just as serious as the mad corporal. “How does it taste?"

"Most people would say chicken, but it actually taste like most game. A bit like croc if you ever had it."

"I heard of it, but never had crocodile" Humbert tilted his head, looking at like curious dog. “You certainly eaten some strange things."

Jefferson laughed. “If we get out of this hell hole alive, I’ll invite you to a rattler croc barbecue." 

"Could we stop talking about eating reptiles?" A voice from the other side of the room called out. Gold turned to see Captain Jones looking quiet green, he wasn’t the only one, Nolan and Blanchard were looking more disgusted by the second, Swan was somewhere between bemused and revolted. 

The colonel chuckled. “I think that’s enough that.." He turned to the psychiatrist, Major French, in an effort to make the talk between two odd men stop.  "What do you miss?"

"Well…" She tapped her chin lightly as she thought. “I miss spiced peach slices…I live right next to this elderly woman who has this big old peach tree in her back yard, and every season I would help her picked them and she would repay me with a basket of them and jar of spiced peach slices."

Gold nodded lightly, memorizing that little tidbit, and thanking mentally whatever god let this conversation end in a normal food note, before cautioning everyone about the late hour. That was enough to send make most of the room’s occupants off to stumble back to their tents. Leaving himself, he found that perhaps he was more tired then he first thought, he certainly hadn’t consume enough alcohol to make his feet feel so heavy. Tripping over an invisible stone, darned things always appeared at night, he found himself being steady to the upright position by two delicate and small hands. 

Blinking a few times, he found his eyes focusing on Belle. “Had a bit much?"

"No, of course not." 

"Oh? Then how come you forgot to share?" The psychiatrist returned the smile with a much gentler edge. He tried to understand, but his mind only came up with more questions then answers. His confusion must of had been obvious as she just patted him and encouraged him to keep walking alongside her towards his tent. “What food do you miss most?"

Ah, that was much cleared. His eyebrows knitted together in thought. "….French toast…" By the bemused and startled look he got back, it was certainly not something the young woman had expected. “Perhaps I should explain?" 

"I think you should" She humored him with a little smile.

"My son, Bae, once took a cooking class to meet women when he was a teenager." He was interrupted by her giggles.

"Oh? Did it work?"

"Why yes, it did, he was the only man there, but the women got this odd idea that he was gay and wouldn’t give him a second of their day" He smirked an impish smile to her.

"Oh, you didn’t!" 

"Why, yes, I did" 

"What could that poor boy ever do to you to deserve that?" 

"He sent one of my baby pictures to my poker buddies…" He watched her put a hand over her mouth to keep from waking the whole camp with her laughter. Gold waited until she could calm herself into just a few fit of giggles between panting breaths. “Anyways, he was atrocious at cooking, but for one thing. French toast. I don’t know why, but it was the only recipe he could seem to master and he was just so proud of it, we ended up eating french toast every morning for two weeks straight. I never been more sick of a breakfast food in my entire life" He gave her a small sad smile. “But every time I am so far away from him, all I can think of is eating french toast."

She smiled gently, seemingly enjoying an old father tell a tale, and stopped walking, pulling him gently to stop. “I believe we arrive to your tent, good sir"

He looked up to see his tent. “Why yes, we have. Thank you for being such a lady and escorting me here." He bow a bit, but quickly moved himself upright again, feeling the contents of his stomach unsettling in a very bad way. Managing to calm his rebellious organs, he spoke softly. “Goodnight, Belle"

"Goodnight.." She hugged him for a moment, in the cover of night. “Remember to drink some water before going to bed, or you’ll be hangover tomorrow." 

"Old wife’s tale.." He watched her distangle herself away from him, giving him a light wag of her finger before walking off towards her own tent. Gold tried to remember, but he could not recall if he had seen the major drink. Shaking his head he went into this tent to catch at least a few hours of sleep.

—-

The next morning, Gold skipped what passed for breakfast in the mesh tent, not after an odd night of french toast dreams with the odd cut up snake sprinkled on top. Filling his cup with coffee, he took a seat at an empty table and closed his eyes, rubbing his temples with his fingers. While not a full blown hangover, there was a light headache that wouldn’t leave him alone, the aspirins had yet to take effect. 

He heard a clattered of a metal tray against wood somewhere in front of him, opening one eye, he first saw a tray with nothing but two pieces of toast, looking up, his eye settled on Belle French’s blinding smile.

"Thank you…you forgot the bacon tho…"

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t you know what that is?"

"…..toast?" He carefully spoke. 

"No, its french toast!" She smiled cheerfully again

"I am sorry, but how is this french toast?" Gold honestly wonder if the psychiatrist had finally lost it. 

"Because I made it!"

The colonel stared at her, his brain very slowly pieced together the simple puzzle. Belle French had made him toast. French Toast. His hand fell over his mouth to keep him from laughing, and as he calmed down, he gave her that true smile he reserved for just her. “Thank you"


End file.
